Salvia plant named ‘Blue by You’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Salvia  plant named ‘Blue by You’, characterized by its deep violet-blue colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Salvia hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Blue by You’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Salviaplant botanically known as Salvia hybrid and hereinafter referred to bythe cultivar name ‘Blue by You’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program inCochranville, Pa. during June 2011. The objective of the breedingprogram was the development of sterile Salvia cultivars with good repeatblooming, and excellent weather tolerance.

The new Salvia cultivar was the result of cross-pollination. The female(seed) parent of the new cultivar is Salvia nemorosa ‘May Night’, alsoknown as ‘Mainacht’, not patented, characterized by its darkviolet-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderatelyvigorous, semi-upright growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the newcultivar is Salvia pratensis ‘Rose Rhapsody’, not patented,characterized by its medium pink-colored flowers, medium green-coloredfoliage, and moderately vigorous, semi-upright growth habit. The newcultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant withinthe progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during July 2012 in acontrolled environment in Cochranville, Pa.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sinceJuly 2012 in Cochranville, Pa. and Elburn, Ill. has demonstrated thatthe new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of thecharacteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained throughsuccessive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Blue by You’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Salvia plant:

-   -   1. Deep violet-blue colored flowers;    -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and    -   3. Moderately vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parentprimarily in having larger flowers and larger foliage. Plants of the newcultivar differ from plants of the male parent primarily in having adifferent flower color and more mounded growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Salvia cultivars, the most similar incomparison to the new cultivar is FASHIONISTA ‘Midnight Model’, U.S.Plant Pat. No. 29,498. However, in side by side comparisons, plants ofthe new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Midnight Model’ in at least thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have smaller corollas than plants        of ‘Midnight Model’;    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have a darker flower color than        plants of ‘Midnight Model’; and    -   3. Plants of the new cultivar is male-sterile unlike plants of        ‘Midnight Model’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Blue by You’. Theplants were approximately four months old. The plants were grown inone-gallon containers for approximately 9 weeks in a greenhouse inElburn, Ill. followed by 1 week in an open-sided polyhouse in WestChicago, Ill. Plants were given two pinches, one at one week beforetransplant and one two weeks after transplant.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Blue by You’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of‘Blue by You’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2015 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined in July 2018 under naturallight conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe approximatelyfour-month old plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grownunder conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. Theplants were grown in one-gallon containers for approximately 9 weeks ina greenhouse in Elburn, Ill. followed by 2 weeks in an open-sidedpolyhouse in West Chicago, Ill. Plants were given two pinches, one atone week before transplant and one two weeks after transplant.Greenhouse temperatures in Elburn, Ill. were maintained at approximately65° F. to 70° F. (18.3° C. to 21.1° C.) during the day and approximately55° F. to 60° F. (12.8° C. to 15.6° C.) during the night. Nosupplemental lighting was provided. Measurements and numerical valuesrepresent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Salvia hybrid ‘Blue by You’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Salvia nemorosa ‘May Night’, also known as            ‘Mainacht’, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Salvia pratensis ‘Rose Rhapsody’, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 12 to 15 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 35 to 42            days.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 10 to 12 weeks from a            rooted cutting to finish in a 15 cm pot.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Herbaceous perennial,            moderately vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit.        -   Hardiness.—USDA Zone 4b (−25° F. to −20° F./−31.7° C. to            −28.9° C.).        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 38.0 cm. Width: Approximately 40.0 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching. Pinching enhances lateral            branching. Quantity of branches per plant: Approximately 5.        -   Branch.—Shape: Square in cross section. Strength: Strong.            Length to base of inflorescence: Approximately 13.5 cm.            Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm. Length of central internode:            Approximately 6.0 cm. Texture: Densely pubescent with short            appressed hairs. Color of young stems: 146D. Color of mature            stems: 146B tinted with 187A in sun.-   Foliage description:    -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch:            Approximately 6. Fragrance: Strong, sage-like. Form: Simple.            Arrangement: Opposite.        -   Leaves.—Aspect: Acute to perpendicular angle to stem. Shape:            Lanceolate. Margin: Crenate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cordate.            Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf:            Approximately 13.0 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately            4.5 cm. Texture of upper surface: Rugose, moderately            pubescent only on midvein. Texture of lower surface: Rugose,            moderately pubescent only on venation. Color of upper            surface of young and mature foliage: Closest to 137A with            venation of 145D. Color of lower surface of mature foliage:            Closest to 137C with venation of 147D.        -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 11.0 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 4.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent with            appressed hairs. Color: Closest to 147D.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Blue by You’ is freely flowering under            outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous            blooming from spring through late summer and with limited            flowering under short winter days in a greenhouse            environment.        -   Lastingness of individual floret.—Approximately 4 to 5 days.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Spikes in verticillaster            arrangement, florets in clusters of two to three, not            persistent. Quantity of inflorescences per plant:            Approximately 15. Fragrance: Faint, sweet. Length or height            of inflorescence: Approximately 7.0 cm to 17.0 cm. Width of            inflorescence: Approximately 2.5 cm to 3.0 cm. Quantity of            fully-open flowers per inflorescence: Approximately 20 with            up to 48 at peak flowering.        -   Peduncle.—Shape: Square in cross section. Strength: Strong.            Aspect: Erect. Length: Approximately 2.7 cm to 4.0 cm.            Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm to 4.0 mm. Texture: Densely            pubescent. Color: 146B tinted with 187A in sun.-   Flower description:    -   -   Type.—Single, zygomorphic.        -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 2 to 3 days for bud to            progress from first color to fully open flower.        -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Obovoid. Length:            Approximately 7.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm.            Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: Calyx of 146C to 146D            with an overlay of 187A on tips; petal portion of N89A.        -   Corolla.—Shape: Bilabiate, lower lip having three lobes,            base fused. Width: Approximately 6.0 mm. Length:            Approximately 1.1 cm. Depth: Approximately 1.7 cm.        -   Upper lip.—Shape: Hooded. Margin: Entire. Apex: Rounded.            Length from throat: Approximately 1.1 cm. Width:            Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Glabrous.            Texture of outer surface: Moderately pubescent. Color of            inner surface when first and fully open: 91A. Color of outer            surface when first and fully open: N88A to N88C, darker            shade predominates under full sun conditions.        -   Lower lip.—Shape of central lobe: Orbicular, cupped. Shape            of lateral lobes: Oblong. Margin: Entire, central lobe wavy.            Apex of central lobe: Emarginate. Apex of lateral lobes:            Rounded. Length from throat of central lobe: Approximately            5.0 mm. Width of central lobe: Approximately 7.0 mm. Length            from throat of lateral lobes: Approximately 3.0 mm. Width of            lateral lobes: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture of upper            surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower surface: Sparsely            pubescent. Color of upper surface of lateral and central            lobes when first and fully open: N89B to N89C, darker shade            predominates under full sun conditions. Color of lower            surface of lateral and central lobes when first and fully            open: Closest to N89C to N89D.        -   Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 6.0 mm. Diameter at            opening: Approximately 4.0 mm. Diameter at base:            Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture of inner and outer surfaces:            Glabrous. Color of inner surface when first and fully open:            NN155D. Color of outer surface when first and fully open:            NN155D tinted with N89D.        -   Calyx.—Shape: Cupped. Length: Approximately 7.0 mm.            Diameter: Approximately 5.0 mm.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5, fused. Shape: Ovate. Apex:            Acute. Length: Approximately 7.0 mm. Width of lobes:            Approximately 2.0 mm to 4.0 mm. Texture of inner surfaces:            Glabrous. Texture of outer surfaces: Densely pubescent.            Color of inner surface: 146D. Color of outer surface: 146C            to 146D with an overlay of 187A on tips and venation.        -   Bracts.—Quantity: One bract located at the base of floret            cluster. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acuminate. Texture of upper and            lower surfaces: Densely pubescent. Color of inner and outer            surfaces: 145B with an overlay of 187A.        -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: At an acute            angle. Length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Diameter: Less than            1.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: 146D tinted with            187A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 2 per            flower, dorsifixed, strongly curved. Stamen length:            Approximately 4.0 mm. Filament length: Approximately 3.0 mm.            Filament color: NN155D with a faint overlay of N89D. Anther            shape: Oblong. Anther length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Anther            color: 161B. Pollen amount: Not observed. Gynoecium: Pistil            quantity: 1 per flower, slightly curved. Pistil length:            Approximately 1.7 cm. Stigma shape: Cleft, two-parted.            Stigma length: 2.0 mm. Stigma color: N88B. Style length:            Approximately 1.3 cm. Style color: NN155D. Ovary length:            Approximately 2.0 mm. Ovary color: 144B with 158D.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Salvia has not been observed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant named‘Blue by You’, substantially as herein illustrated and described.